Friday, December 26, 2008

This year our family was blessed to be able to have my family (Homer, Dean, & Diane Jentes) all in our home. It had been four years since we were together at Christmas.With everyone here on Christmas Eve, Katherine, Wes, and Sebastian made chocolate chip cookies to leave for Santa. (Sebastian lost interest before I thought to take a picture!) The cookies were very good and all gone by the 26th!The kids had everyone up and opening gifts at 7 AM. I think we unwrapped the last two gifts just before 8 AM.I love to watch the kids open their gifts and the excitement they exhibit. I was very proud that Katherine and Sebastian seemed to get excited over what the other one received as well.Katherine read the Christmas story from The Jesus Storybook Bible on Christmas eve as we all sat together in our living room. After Katherine finished Wes read out of Luke 2 from the Bible. My dad then prayed, and it was wonderful time to reflect and focus on what we were really celebrating.The rest of the day was spent being together as a family and truly enjoying each other.By 6 PM it was just the four of us again.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Sunday night Katherine and Sebastian were given the Veggie Tales DVD Tomato Sawyer & Huckleberry Larry's Big River Rescue. Big Idea's Veggie Tales has always been a hit at our house. Wes and I listened to Veggie Music before we even had kids (and that's another story). Anyway, as with any DVD these days there are bonus features and there is a feature giving step by step instructions on how to draw some of the veggie characters. This is what Katherine drew yesterday afternoon. Wes and I are so proud of her.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

On Saturday our family visited ChuckE.Cheese's to celebrate Sebastian's 4th birthday.We had a great time, and Aunt Diane & Uncle Dean were able to join in the fun. After spending a good bit of time playing at ChuckE.Cheese the kids did some more playing at the mall. What a day!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Several weeks ago, while walking through Sams, Wes noticed a gingerbread house kit and mentioned it would be fun to do with Katherine this year. I agreed, but that day we didn't purchase the gingerbread kit. Just over a week ago I was in the store and saw another gingerbread house kit and decided I would pick one up for us to do as a nice family project. (Please take note of the word family...meaning Wes, Katherine, Sebastian, and myself.)

The kids had been waiting not so patiently for a week to make the gingerbread house, and so I decided Friday night would be the night. It started out so well. The kids and I put all the different candy in cups and sorted out the pieces for the house. The kids kneaded the icing and then it began! I had the wonderful job of icing each piece and getting the house together. I admit I had some trouble. I did manage to get the walls of the house and roof together just as Wes was walking in the door. Wes and I made the decision the house needed to set overnight before we tried adding the candy. (Notice where Wes enters this story.) Katherine and Sebastian were not happy with our decision, but we told them we were going to put up the Christmas tree and other decorations Saturday afternoon and would finish the gingerbread house then.

Saturday afternoon, after the boys took naps and the girls had the tree up, we began working once again on the gingerbread house. I had a much better grasp on using the icing and the kids were excited to decorate with the candy. (Wes was at the store.) Sebastian helped decorate the little gingerbread men with Katherine's oh so gentle instructions before deciding he'd had enough. Plus, he didn't enjoy getting icing on his hands unlike his sister who was definitely making a mess! Katherine and I were putting the finishing touches on when Wes arrived home from the store. Here is the finished project....Now that this little project is complete I can say I did enjoy it. What I really enjoyed was spending the time with my kids.

*I should mention that Wes is the one who moved the gingerbread house from the middle of the kitchen and displayed it nicely in our dining room.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Wes, the kids, and I planned on spending another Thanksgiving in Ardmore, Oklahoma, with the Banks family, but circumstances changed those plans. Instead my dad (Homer) and brother (Dean) fixed a very nice Thanksgiving meal for me and my family at our home. I was returning home from having had surgery, and they were helping take care of Katherine and Sebastian. They stayed through the weekend, and even though I was recovering we enjoyed a nice time of being together and watching some football.

Katherine was out of school the week of Thanksgiving, and she & Sebastian spent a couple days with some friends from church before my dad came. The kids had a wonderful time there.

On Monday, December 1st, Linda Kenney flew from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to spend a few days helping out with the kids and spending time with us. It was a blessing to have her as well.

There is always something or someone to be thankful for and this year I've been reminded of that over and over! I am truly blessed, and I hope you took time on Thanksgiving to praise God for all the things you have to be thankful for.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Reuniting with friends...Abby, DJ, Katherine, & Laura(Abby and Laura went to school in Swink last year, but this year attend in Valliant. DJ & Katherine were happy to meet up with their friends from last year.)

Meeting up with more great friends...Ryan, Raeli Jo, Katherine, and Sebastian

Here they go...Ryan (up top), Katherine, and Raeli Jo(Sebastian is over on the left of this photo.) Ryan and Sebastian

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

On Thursday afternoons Katherine has her piano lesson over in Idabel, Oklahoma. Sebastian and I usually hang out in the truck and pretend we're in a spaceship while Katherine has her thirty minute lesson. Once Katherine is finished we head over to the park and play a little before going home. Sometimes on our way out of town, we stop by McDonald's first. :-)This is one of Sebastian's 'silly' faces.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

On Friday, October 3rd, the Kenney's drove to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where we enjoyed a fun time at the Tulsa State Fair. Wes, Sebastian, and I picked Katherine up a little early from school and we headed north. Once we arrived in Tulsa we checked into our hotel, changed clothes, and then off to the fair! Wes dropped the kids and I off at the gate, and he went to park the car. About an hour later I sent him a text telling him where we were, and he was STILL looking for parking. Thankfully he found one not long after our conversation. The kids and I were having fun together, but we were sure glad to finally see Wes again.The kids enjoyed riding some rides and playing on several inflatables. As a family we enjoyed funnel cake, riding the Sky ride over the fair grounds, and cotton candy. We had a blast!Another major highlight for Katherine and Sebastian was spending the night in a hotel. Wes treated them with hot chocolate and blueberry scones from Starbucks for breakfast on Saturday.While we were waiting for Wes to return with our delicious breakfast we posed for pictures!We finished off our trip by going to the mall, where the kids ended up getting some new clothes. It was a great little getaway for our family!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Not much to post, but I'm tired of looking at the demolished van pictures!

I've gone back and found some pictures you might enjoy!Katherine with her cousin, Kyle, at the home of Jim & Linda Renick on Thanksgiving Day 2004.Sebastian Thomas KenneyIsn't he too cute?My favorite kiddo's!

Monday, September 15, 2008

On Friday, September 5th, I was involved in an accident on my way to pick up my daughter from school. As you will see from the photo's of my vehicle it was not pretty. God protected my life, the other driver, and my family as I was the only person in the van that day. Praise God for His mighty protection, grace, and mercy!* These photos were not taken at the accident scene, but at the wrecker yard where the van is being stored. I took these photos one week after the accident, which was the first time I had seen the van since I got out of it after the accident.